[Serum granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) levels in elderly patients with infections]

To clarify the clinical role of granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF), we examined the levels of serum G-CSF in elderly patients with infection (n = 48) and elderly normal volunteers (n = 32). G-CSF levels were significantly higher in patients in acute infectious status (571.9 +/- 782.9 pg/ml, mean +/- SD) than in normal volunteers (25.3 +/- 19.7 pg/ml). There was no significant relationship between serum G-CSF levels and age or granulocyte count in normal volunteers. In acute infectious status, there was no relationship between serum G-CSF levels and granulocyte count or c-reactive protein (CRP). We compared the response of G-CSF to infection between patients with frequently repeated infection (repeaters) and others (non-repeaters). Repeaters showed relative lower elevation of G-CSF levels in acute infectious status compared with non-repeaters (197.6 +/- 370.0 pg/ml vs. 1014.1 +/- 927.4 pg/ml p < 0.001). In other clinical data, serum albumin was significantly lower in repeaters than in non-repeaters. There was no significant difference in age, serum total protein, white blood cell count, granulocyte count and CRP. In non-repeaters, G-CSF levels was significantly higher in acute phase of infection than in recovery phase (550 +/- 703 pg/ml vs. 37.5 +/- 39.2 pg/ml p < 0.01 n = 15). We determined the status which showed incomplete recovery of infectious symptoms as chronic phase. In twenty-two of repeaters, we examined serum G-CSF levels and clinical data in acute and chronic phase of infection. There was no significant difference in G-CSF levels between in acute and chronic phase.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)